Sins of Our Fathers
by slumbo
Summary: A newly commissioned officer in the Terran Republic Army fights to earn respect from his subordinates as well as to save his and their lives on the dangerous planet of Auraxis (Let me know if you guys like it or if I'm wasting my time)
1. Chapter 1

-1-

I awoke the clammering of feet below my bunk. How many people could they cram in one ship? How many more god damn days until I can finally walk more than five feet within any direction? It had already been tw- well, it had been what had seemed like twenty days but I knew it had only been a week. They told us that it's dangerous to be dormant for too long. Rather than having to find something to do during the whole six month voyage, the crew would be put into comas for periods of a month at a time. Any longer and the soldier begins losing muscle. Not that they're all soldiers. In fact, the majority of them on here are Marines. I overheard a Sergeant at AT say "The only difference between a Terran Marine and a Terran Soldier is the contents of the respective skull". I hadn't agreed with him until I was amongst them. A terrible idea, really. Who the hell would take 4,000 soldiers, 7,000 Marines, and 2,000 airmen and throw them into an old Commercial Transporter? Oh well. This was going to be a 'glass half full situation' no matter the contents of the glass. And I knew this was my last rotation. My last coma and my last time awake, well truly awake. The quartering wasn't that bad, really. They would throw us in some somber corner of a carefully organized barrack room in the cargo bay. These ships used to transport commercial goods. Now instead of Nanites and supplies for scientific research facilities, they carry thousands of men to fight a war in a forgotten corner of the Galaxy.

I feel as if it were ages ago that I received my commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. That's what this ship does: make a day last an eternity. A crewmember wearing bright scarlet fatigues entered the room and took everyone's attention. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," the room responded with a lazy reply, saying the same to the crewmember. "The Captain reports that Auraxis less than a day away. So, gather your things and be ready to disembark at 0600 tomorrow, understood?," And the room replied with a similar relaxed inclination "Yes, Lieutenant". "Hey, butter bar!" It was SFC. Rucker (or Fucker, as I had heard him been called by the junior enlisted).

Haldane: "What is it, F- Rucker?"

Rucker: "If he's a Lieutenant, then why does he have that gold clover thing? I thought that was for majors."

Haldane: "I'm not sure, entirely, Rucker".

Rucker: "Why don't you have that clover thing, Haldane?"

Haldane: "I guess the insignia is different for each branch."

Rucker: "Do you think it means he's more important than you?". Knowing, I would never win, I rolled back into my bunk and closed my eyes.

My platoon had 49 soldiers. And it was _mine_, holy damn. Sure, there were those above me, ordering me around, and those below me: micromanaging and such but these 49 men were mine. At first the responsibility frightened the living shit out of me. _I could get all of these guys killed, you know_. Eventually, the fear of leadership evolved into the pride of leadership. I had many great Officers in my life and had seen first hand how much respect their men had given them. I should know, my father is one himself.

My father never impended upon me that I should join the army but I felt it was all I could do to make him proud. He was a necessity for his subordinates, a necessity for his country but most of all a necessity for his son. He would always send his holograms and it would feel as if he were right at home but every son wishes to play ball with his dad and by the time he had returned: I was just an angsty teenager who cared more about what everyone else was doing rather than the likes of his own father. I guess you could say it was payback. Payback for all those years he had been away. I knew it killed him, more so than the actual wounds he had sustained from his time as a ground soldier. I enjoyed it, though, deliberately spiting him for the sake of my vengeful nature. My mother tried to bond with me, God bless her, I wouldn't give her the light of day. Those were my teenage years, though. At least by the last year of Primary School, I had wised up and repaired my relationship with my father. His reassignment to Earth was truly a blessing.

At the time, he was a Lt. Colonel with the 1st Terran Rangers Battalion. Arguably, one of the most elite outfits in the Terran Republic's Arsenal. He commanded 1,300 highly trained killers in one of the most dangerous regions of Auraxis. They were doing good work up there, keeping their region clear of insurgent presence, the same couldn't be said for the surrounding regions. The Vanu insurgents ambushed convoys, raided Terran bases at night, and for the most part had the Republic by the balls. This displeased my father, that his good work was undermined by the others who hadn't done as well in protecting their regions. So, disobeying a direct order to remain in his region, my father ordered his Rangers into the hills of a neighboring region where it was believed the insurgents were residing. Scouts from his unit reported the whereabouts of the Vanu camp was an abandoned mining plant. _How in the hell have they not wiped these fuckers off the planet yet?_ And of course, being the man my father is: sent his battalion into the camp and did just what he had wished the others had done. The camp was cleared and the Rangers sustained extremely limited casualties. Upon returning to his region, my father was met by a Field Marshal and his staff. The Field Marshal congratulated my father on his victory and reminded him of his orders. When asked what he was thinking, my father merely responded "Nuts, sir", thus he was transferred to some sort of intelligence position, he didn't like it much but he did enjoy being home, so for that he was grateful.


	2. Chapter 2

What was it like? Auraxis, I mean. There were Privates with two tours of duty and here I was: commanding them, with no concept of what the place was even like. There are three main continents: Indar, a desert environment with little to no beneficiaries to anyone. Esamir, a frozen wasteland rich in mining materials ready to be sown. And Amerish, a mountainous, green, and earth-like land mass with potential to host massive farming operations.

We still didn't know where we were to be stationed. We would have to wait until we were planetside do unveil that.

0600. It's time. I ordered the Squad leaders to form their men into their respective columns and waited until the Lieutenant came by to escort us to the shuttles. The room was dimly lit and uncomfortably cold. The bunks were three high and countless rows snaked throughout the room. The lights flickered and when everyone lay asleep, it was rather unsettling. Among us in our quarters were the other platoons in Baker Company, 223rd Infantry Regiment. There were a few hundred men in this once cargo bay. I couldn't help but wonder how many would return. The men didn't travel in full gear but as we approached our destination, they would acquire their fatigues, armor, weapons, field rations, and any other equipment that was necessary. Sergeant Rucker wore a breast-piece and an old looking helmet that was beat to hell. After all, he was big enough to take a bullet or two, no armor would do what he could already. And I trusted him, he was my second in command, after all. He wasn't much for gimmicks like a lot of other NCOs. No fancy insignias, no paint jobs, no bull-shit; he was the real deal. I wore my standard issue fatigues, a breastpiece, shoulder and arm pads, leg armor, and a brand new helmet with a visor. In the new helmets: there was a HUD system. The HUD showed the status of the armor, the ammo count, GPS position, and the whereabouts of members of the platoon. The only few that had this in their helmets were: myself, Sergeant Beasely (a short, pompous man who lead 1st Squad), Staff Sergeant Erickson (a bearded, normal-enough, genuine man who led the 2nd), Staff Sergeant Tittle (a quiet, unexpectably brilliant man who led the 3rd) and last but not least.. First Sergeant Rogers (a loud-mouthed, arrogant son-of-a-bitch who was the first to question my motives and led the 4th weapons squad). They all had the HUD system to be able to quickly relay information between themselves and myself if need be.

Myself and all of the other platoon leaders were gathered in front of the formation. Captain Connery made his way to greet us and give us our orders. The Captain gave us a brief "Good morning, gentlemen," and proceeded past us. Trying to get into a better position, Connery stepped onto an empty box and some Sergeant Major called for attention. The room fell silent and all men stood at attention.

Captain Connery: "Good morning, gentlemen," and 2nd Company responded with the proper "Good morning, sir,"

Captain Connery: "At ease," he took a breath. "At 0630, you men get to go planetside. We came here in peace, with a dream of exploration. Through the strength and unity of the Republic, we reached up and grasped the stars themselves. Only through the power of our collective will could we traverse the endless fathoms of the galaxy and find our new home.

For the betterment of all mankind we have achieved mighty deeds. We have

become like true gods in our power and reach. Never before has the Human race attained such glory, and it is all due to the loyalty of the Terran people. Yet there are those who think they have a better way...

These terrorists, these usurpers of power will destroy our way of life that we have cherished for hundreds of years! And for what?

Technology? Corporate profits? This self-styled New Conglomerate will destroy our democratic traditions, handing our way of life over to their corporate masters. They sell us oligarchy, and they call it freedom. I name it what it is, Facism! And even worse, these so-called Vanu. They seek not only to destroy our civilization, but our very humanity.

They claim these alien artifacts are the key to the future, but who's future? Toying with technology beyond their understanding. They risk our very existance for some biological insanity! For too long we have allowed these destroyers of our peaceful and stable Republic to fester and grow like a cancer. For too long have our beliefs,

our hopes and our own children fallen victim to their radical destructive ways. I stand before you, and I say no more! Today we stand, today we fight, and today we show these blights upon humanity what they have feared in a dark heart all along! The Terran Republic will never stop, the Terran Republic will never surrender!

We will fight and die until every single one of them is wiped from the face of Auraxis forever! When we claim blood and honor, we MEAN blood and honor! From today until the last day, The Terran Republic will Fight, and we will win!

Loyalty Until Death!" at this: the room was swallowed by a wave of applause that carried on for minutes. Captain Connery led us away to give us our briefing.


	3. Chapter 3

-3-

_When the rebellion began, some of the Republic's best officers joined the New Conglomerate. Officers who feel that they had been wronged by the Terrans. When a lot of these officers left, there were positions open in important combat positions. One of which my father aimed to fill. He assumed command of Guard component stationed on Earth to contest the rebellion when I was 16. By then, the rebellion had escalated into a full revolution. For them, the gracious Great Leader didn't suffice. They wanted a 'democracy', pshh the damn fools. The Great Leader didn't just force his way to excellency, there is an election once every 6 years. Not surprisingly, our Great Leader always won. Earth was __**one**_ _but only for a little. Because the Blue cunts can't bare to see life without corporate profit or the poor's arduous lifestyle. Loyalty until death apparently didn't apply to all._

_My Father fought the fascist pigs on Earth for 2 years. He was stationed in the south pacific for the majority of the time but the fact he was on Earth made him close enough for me. He contacted us every day until I turned 18 and graduated from school. Since that day, I haven't received word of my father's whereabouts. All I wanted was for him to know where I was, to make him proud to know I am serving our Great Leader in the Army just as he did._


	4. Chapter 4

-4-

The land was dry and red. The dunes went on for miles without interruption. The desolation of the environment was comparable to that of those who inhabited it. We were the replacements. All wearing our freshly primped uniforms, newly improved armour and wielding the state of the art weaponry. The same could not be said about those who we were there to substitute. Men filed out of the shuttle onto the baron Indar surface. They marched in cadence and eyes flocked to them like blood rushes to a wound. Heading in the opposite direction was a mangy-looking platoon sized element. The blank gazes upon their war torn faces startled me. There was no light in their eyes, no hopes, dreams, or aspirations. Only death and terror. But somehow, I possessed the idea that my men would not succumb to the same fate. I believed that we would fight a real war against an enemy of our Republic.

A squirrely looking man bumped into me. His eyes were blood red and scars ran up and down his face. He angrily took hold of my shirt and looked deeply into my eyes. He was whispering something softly, I couldn't quite make it out, partially due the fact that he had scared the shit out of me. "This sand-" he said, "will blot out the sun". He began to turn away slowly but jumped back and continued: "what is blatantly real will falter and dissolve into disillusion, you and everyone seen by the eye will fall," I pushed him away and continued on my path. The squirrelly man continued to terrorize my men. A few burly men went to retrieve him. He kicked, swore, and spit in their faces but after a few deserved strikes to the head, he was incapacitated. Finally, I could foc- at this moment, the ear-piercing crack of a single pistol shot bounced around the Warpgate. The squirrely man lay in the sand blood pouring from his head into the cracks in the rough patches of earth, motionless, with exception from a few tweaks and twitches. The men now carried his body away. As they scurried away, I thought to myself, "I've only been planetside for 6 minutes but shit, fuck this place".


End file.
